On Earth Day we take time to celebrate our beautiful planet as well as bring awareness to the part we play in protecting it. For many creatives this level of environmental attention is one they reach every day in their work, as they strive to tell stories that will motivate others to give the same attention year-round. This Earth Day we’re featuring a group of photographers and filmmakers who are capturing the beauty of Earth and its creatures, as well as those visual storytellers who are sharing the importance of protecting it. See what these nature and conservation creatives are posting on their Instagram accounts and follow them for more in your feed. Tag your Sony photography posts with #BeAlpha for a chance to be featured and follow @sonyalpha for your daily dose of photography inspiration.

On this Earth Day we’re featuring a group of nature and conservation creatives on Instagram who are posting the beauty of the natural world along with the importance of protecting it.

Cristina Mittermeier – @mitty

Cristina Mittermeier is a conservation photographer and Sony Artisan of Imagery. She brings awareness to important conservation issues through her compelling life’s work. She’s the co-founder of conservation organizations @SeaLegacy, which is dedicated to promoting the protection of the world’s oceans through storytelling, and @OnlyOne, a platform for stories, solutions and community action to protect the ocean, tackle the climate crisis and help build a more just, equitable planet. She’s most recently been aboard the SeaLegacy 1, a boat specifically designed for the collective of storytellers to document ocean life for conservation purposes. You can watch their most recent explorations in the latest episode of SeaLegacy | The Voyage. Follow her on Instagram as she brings important issues to light through her inspiring imagery. Help rebuild ocean life, for people and the planet. Learn more about how you can Join The Tide HERE.

Paul Nicklen – @paulnicklen

Sony Artisan Paul Nicklen is among the world’s most celebrated nature photographers and filmmakers. He’s also an acclaimed polar specialist, speaker, author, @natgeo contributor and the co-founder of conservation organization @SeaLegacy with Cristina Mittermeier (@mitty). He aims to create an emotional connection through his photography, giving us a closer look at wild objects in extreme conditions most humans would otherwise never witness. He collaborates with other conservationists, scientists and creatives to create awareness and inspire action for global issues like climate change. He’s also been aboard the SeaLegacy 1 with the rest of the crew, and you can stay tuned to the Alpha Universe YouTube Channel for future episode of SeaLegacy | The Voyage to see which corner of the earth they explore next. Follow Nicklen for more compelling conservation and nature photography in your feed. Help rebuild ocean life, for people and the planet. Learn more about how you can Join The Tide HERE.

Colby Brown – @colbybrownphotography

Sony Artisan Colby Brown is a photographer, photo educator and author specializing in landscape, wildlife, travel and humanitarian photography. Through his work he combines his love of the natural world with his fascination of its diversity, creating imagery that tells a story of life on this planet. You can learn some great beginner wildlife photography tips from him in his article How To Set Up Your Camera For Wildlife Photography. He recently posted the image of an Eyelash Pit Viper below, taken with his Sony Alpha 1 and Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro and says that it’s safe to say he’s found a new passion in photographing snakes. “They are such incredible and misunderstood creatures that deserve both our respect and admiration. I have so much to share with all of you over the coming weeks.” If you’re an animal lover, following Brown’s Instagram account is a must.

Chris Burkard – @chrisburkard

Chris Burkard is an accomplished explorer, photographer, creative director, speaker and author. The Sony Artisan travels the expanses of the earth to capture stories that not only inspire humans to consider their relationship with nature, but also promote the preservation of wild places everywhere. His powerful landscape imagery shows others the beauty of the outdoors and why we shouldn’t take it for granted. In his new series, First Take with Chris Burkard, Burkard and six guests go on an exploration of one of his favorite places in the world, and one where he's spent a lot of time, Iceland. In the first episode he creates sweeping landscapes from an aerial view, and you can watch it all here. Follow him on Instagram to keep up with his next wild adventure.

Andy Mann – @andy_mann

Sony Artisan Andy Mann is a photographer, director, diver, climber and speaker. As a @natgeo photographer and senior fellow and storyteller for conservation organizations @SeaLegacy and @OnlyOne, Mann’s work centers around ocean and adventure photography as well as commercial and conservation film. His imagery helps to tell the story of our rapidly-changing planet, as he works tirelessly to document endangered animals and wild places in need of protection. In his post below you can see he’s taking on the issue of endangered sharks being killed if caught in commercial fishing lines and how you can help. You can also catch him in episodes of SeaLegacy | The Voyage and follow him on Instagram to see what beautiful part of the planet he captures next. 

Peter McBride – @pedromcbride

Sony Artisan Peter McBride is a photographer, filmmaker, writer and public speaker who has traveled to over 75 countries for the likes of the National Geographic Society, Smithsonian and The Nature Conservancy. He’s worked over 20 years in the realm of conservation, and over a decade of that he's been documenting the Colorado River. Learn more in his post below where he writes, "Most Endangered River' -- I've spent over a decade documenting my 'backyard' river -- the Colorado — source to sea trying to make more aware how much we collectively ask of this lifeline for the American Southwest. It is one of the most loved and litigated bodies of water in the world and yet it continues to struggle. @AmericanRivers named the Colorado River the #1 Most Endangered River in the United States today (the second time it has topped this list), highlighting the threat climate change and outdated water management pose to 30 federally-recognized Tribal Nations, seven states, Mexico and the drinking water for 40 million people. Also threatened is vital habitat for wildlife, as the Basin is home to 30 native fish species, two-thirds of which are threatened or endangered, and more than 400 bird species."

Renan Ozturk – @renan_ozturk

Renan Ozturk is an adventure filmmaker, photojournalist, climber and Sony Artisan. He explores some of the most challenging environments in order to tell compelling stories that inspire change. Below he posts the trailer for “The Last Tepui,” launching on @disneyplus on Earth Day, today and directed by Ozturk with Sony Artisan and partner Taylor Rees, which documents elite climber Alex Honnold, writer and climber Mark Synnott and team work to deliver National Geographic Explorer Bruce Means to the top of a massive “island in the sky” known as a tepui. “The goal of this scientific mission was an elevational transect of the Upper Paikwa River Basin near Guyana’s northwestern frontier with Brazil and Venezuela to look for new species of amphibians and reptiles in one of the world’s richest and least explored hotspots of biodiversity. The final section of our transect led us through a pristine, untouched cloud forest and culminated with a first ascent of an unclimbed 7,000-foot tepui called Weiassipu.” You can watch more about the behind-the-scenes process of shooting this expedition with Ozturk and Rees here.

Taylor Rees – @taylorfreesolo

Sony Artisan Taylor Rees is a documentary filmmaker and photojournalist. Her work focuses on bringing new perspectives and deeper public understanding to the complexities of issues like climate change, human rights and more. Here she shares an image of a rhino and says, “The diversity of life on our little floating rock in space is an envelope of intelligence, from the depths of the oceans to the creatures soaring on atmospheric currents. Our lives depend on that intelligence. The more time I spend with the last two northern white rhinos, Fatu (here), and her momma Najin, the more I feel this truth inside my bones. Despair has its place but engaging in the fight to protect life is the more appropriate response right now.” Follow her to learn more about the current human and environmental issues in the world through captivating visual storytelling and listen to this recent episode of the Sony Alpha Photographers Podcast for more on her recent projects, advice for other filmmakers starting out, her go-to gear and more. Don’t miss “The Last Tepui,” launching on @disneyplus on Earth Day, today and directed by Rees with Sony Artisan and partner Renan Ozturk.

Gina Danza – @wildgina

Nature photographer, visual storyteller and Alpha Collective member Gina Danza specializes in intimate landscapes. She takes an approach to photography that includes connecting with nature and getting in touch with her emotional side, hoping to make others realize and reflect how they are connected with nature too. Follow her Instagram account for more nature content in your feed with captions that make you think about your relationship with all things outdoors. You can also purchase her incredible imagery in prints here.

Charly Savely – @charlysavely

Charly Savely is a member of the Alpha Collective who specializes in adventure/travel, wildlife and fine art photography. She enjoys exploring the harsh environment of her home in Alaska, respectfully capturing its wildlife and bringing awareness to climate change and conservation issues. Much of her photography features minimalist moments, often getting close-up with animals. She also leads wildlife photography and conservation workshops and you can learn more about them here. Follow her to keep up with her latest work and for more beautiful wildlife imagery like the leopard image she posted below.

Autumn Schrock – @autpops

Autumn Schrock is a photographer and designer specializing in outdoor lifestyle, travel, and landscape photography. The Alpha Collective member strives to showcase the immense beauty of our world and to encourage others to get out and explore. She posted this incredible image of a bear in Alaska, taken with her Sony Alpha 7R III and Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master with the caption, “The creatures on our planet are so incredible. It still blows my mind just how magnificent our home is, in every single way, and I can’t understand not wanting to fight for it.”

Sapna Reddy – @sapnareddy

Nature photographer Sapna Reddy of the Alpha Collective loves immersing herself in the natural beauty that surrounds us. She believes that nature has an inherent healing power and hopes to share that healing effect of nature through her photography. Below she shares some of her nature and landscape photography from her recent travels and says, “The primary reason why I photograph is to experience moments of absolute bliss. Lost in the process of creating the image, all senses inundated by the beauty of nature. A meditative state where anxiety, frustration and despair vanish. Fortunate are those of us who get to enter this flow state on a repetitive basis.” Follow her on Instagram for more healing nature photography in your feed.

Gary Hart – @garyhartphoto

Gary Hart is a professional landscape, astro-photographer and Sony Artisan. He creates his images with single-click captures to try to convey the world untouched by humans, using the camera's unique vision to create images that reveal aspects of the world overlooked or unappreciated by the human eye. His natural landscape work accentuates the beauty of every scene he captures, and you can learn more about how he does it in A Landscape Pro’s 10 Tips For Setting Up Your Camera. Follow his Instagram for more beautiful landscapes and astroscapes in your feed, and see how he’s sharing nature’s beauty with workshops here.

Don Smith – @don_smith_photography

Sony Artisan Don Smith is a professional landscape photographer and educator. He says his love is nature, and he shares his passion through his workshops around the world at beautiful locations. He captured this image of the California poppies with his Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master lens and says they are still looking good along the central coast despite the heat they’ve seen. Follow him for more beautiful captures of nature in your feed. 

Erin Sullivan – @erinoutdoors

Rachel Jones Ross – @rachel_jones_ross

Rachel Jones Ross is a landscape and astroscape photographer and educator based in the Canadian Rockies. The Alpha Collective member is most inspired by snow-covered mountains and skies filled with stars. Her imagery shows the depth and vastness of our planet and beyond, helping others build their appreciation for its beauty. She also enjoys sharing her expertise with others through her photography workshops and tutorials. She and Alpha Collective member Jessica Santos (@missjessbess) often lead workshops together and next year they will be offering their first timelapse workshop: Capturing The Wild West. Below she shares her images of ice caves captured with the Sony Xperia 5 III.

Jess Santos – @missjessbess

Photographer and Alpha Collective member Jessica Santos calls herself a wanderer at heart. She adventures throughout the West, capturing landscape and astrophotography and timelapses that put the vibrant colors of the day and starry glow of the night in the desert on display. Santos also shares her photography expertise through exciting workshops and custom adventures. She and Alpha Collective member Rachel Jones Ross (@rachel_jones_ross) lead a number of workshops together and next year they will be offering their first timelapse workshop: Capturing The Wild West. She created this absolutely beautiful timelapse with her Sony Alpha 7S III and Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master – follow her to keep up with her latest workshops and to see what she captures next. 

Nate Luebbe – @nateinthewild

Alpha Collective member Nate Luebbe is a photographer, cinematographer and self-proclaimed nature nerd. A lifelong explorer of the outdoors, Luebbe shares his passion for Mother Earth on Instagram by posting landscapes, astroscapes, wildlife and more. His dynamic and inspiring photographs, videos and timelapses reveal the spirit of adventure and thirst to see more of the beautiful planet we call home. You can learn more from Luebbe in his photography workshops. Check out his post below for an upcoming exciting project with @thenorthface, @mountainhouse and @protectourwinters and follow him to see his next outdoor adventure.

Cath Simard – @cathsimard

Alpha Collective member Cath Simard is a photographer, composite artist and workshop leader. She has spent years exploring the wildest and most remote corners of the earth. She creates beautiful landscape photography and astro-landscape composites and is also in the NFT space. In her post below she shares a photo and NFT piece called Memories of « Chez Moi » and writes “This piece represents a fresh start and major shift in my mindset about where I'm from, Quebec.” See the full post for the full story behind the landscape and her appreciation for it, and see more of her work and sign up for her workshops here.

Scott Kranz – @scott_kranz

Erin Sullivan is a travel, outdoors and miniatures photographer and member of the Alpha Collective. She’s passionate about exploring the imagination and sharing stories from all over this world, particularly those that have a deep connection to this planet and its people. When the pandemic started and her travels came to a halt, she started creating her own miniature landscapes at home. Her work in this realm has really taken off, and she partners with brands like @asperation in her post below for a promotion to plant a tree with every purchase. Follow her for more miniature landscapes and beautiful images from her travels as they pick back up. 

Scott Kranz is a photographer, filmmaker, educator and member of the Alpha Collective. He has an extreme passion for the mountains and all things outdoors, and his photography specializes in capturing authentic moments in real adventures while surrounded by the most wild, rugged, and pristine beauty of our planet. His post below shares his aerial experience with nonprofits @wanatlparkfund and @lighthawk_org, where he photographed the massive glaciers found in the North Cascades. Follow him for more beautiful shots from the outdoors.

Kyle Obermann – @kyleobermann

Kyle Obermann is a conservation photographer, videographer and writer. His work documents the evolution of China’s nature reserves, national parks and grassroots environmental groups. He has worked with groups like National Geographic, The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International, and is a member of the International League of Conservation Photographers and Explorers Club. He is also fluent in Mandarin and the founder of Explore to Conserve, a movement dedicated to connecting China’s outdoor industry and environmental movement. In his post below with @unbiodiversity, he shares the issues surrounding heavily hunted species and the conservation group that is essential for protecting the ecological integrity of these places and their wildlife.

Javier Aznar González de Rueda – @javier_aznar_photography

Photographer Javier Aznar González de Rueda’s work is mainly focused on natural history and wildlife conservation along with its relationship with humans. He is a @natgeo contributing photographer and a fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers and The Photo Society. He has a background in biology and aims to offer a personal point of view showing nature at its wildest state through his photography. He often captures the magnificence found in the hidden world of creatures, with hopes to sensitize the public to the pressing need to preserve the planet and the animals living in it. He captured this close-up of a male Hyla molleri tree frog with his Sony Alpha 1 and Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro lens. Follow his Instagram to see which fascinating creature he gets up-close to next.

Morgan Heim – @moheim

Morgan Heim is a conservation photographer and filmmaker. She’s a senior fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers and co-founder of Her Wild Vision Initiative, an organization aimed at raising the voices of diverse women in the craft of conservation visual storytelling. Her work focuses on wildlife-human coexistence and her most recent Instagram posts show images from a trip to Uganda for photo workshops where they were in search of chimpanzees and gorillas. She posts the image of chimpanzees in Uganda’s Kibale National Park below and says, “Eastern chimpanzees are listed as endangered by the IUCN Redlist, with about 5,000 individuals estimated in Uganda. Kibale National Park is one of their most important havens.” Follow her as she continues to show the important part that humans play in the existence of wildlife.

Sebastian Kennerknecht – @pumapix

Sebastian Kennerknecht is a nature and conservation photographer who covers wildlife and environmental issues internationally, focusing in particular on wild cats. He calls himself a big cat nerd and is the owner of @catexpeditions, small group photo tours that come eye-to-eye with wild cats through luxury photo safaris that have a direct impact on conservation. He’s a fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers and works closely with field biologists to both effectively and ethically capture photographs of some of the rarest cats on the planet while also highlighting the threats they face. In his post below he shares a photo of a male ocelot and information on the conservation work being done by biologist Raíssa Sepulvida and Fernando Tortato to learn more about this small cat to make effective conservation decisions in the future.

Alex Wiles – @awilesmedia

Alex Wiles is a conservation photographer and filmmaker. His work and passion in conservation initiatives takes him around the world where he documents the challenges faced by wildlife and the work of those who wish to protect it. He’s an emerging league photographer with the International League of Conservation Photographers and has been involved with many great conservation-based organizations and their projects. Check out his wildlife reel below to see some of the beautiful footage he’s captured with his Sony FX6 and follow his Instagram for more conservation photos and videos in your feed. 

Jen Guyton – @jenguyton

Jen Guyton is a photographer and ecologist with a passion for telling stories at the junction of global environmental change and human culture. She’s also an explorer for @insidenatgeo and a fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers. Her conservation photojournalism has taken her all over the world and her belief that storytellers have the power to persuade and motivate makes them crucial to the protection of our planet. She posted this image of a pangolin rescued from poachers below and explains why they are threatened with extinction and how to learn more. Follow her for more conservation content.

Benjamin Olson – @benjaminolsonphotography

Benjamin Olson is a wildlife, landscape and conservation photographer. His life revolves around the wilderness, and his work aims to bridge the gap between society and nature. He’s an emerging league photographer for the International League of Conservation Photographers and he’s currently working on multiple visual research projects to document the impacts of climate change. His Instagram account, run by his wife Emily, documents his life as a conservation photographer and shares many of his nature and wildlife imagery.